Euro-Zone Exports, Imports Weaken

Euro-zone exports and imports fell in December, official data showed on Friday, underscoring the vulnerability of the bloc's manufacturing base to a rising euro and the poor state of consumer demand.

Eurostat, the European Union's official statistics agency, said exports of goods from the 17 nations that use the euro fell 1.8% in December from November, after growth of 0.6% the previous month. The figures, which are adjusted to account for seasonal distortions, illustrate the difficulty euro-zone companies have had in...